Tube cleaner



y 3, 1952 G. A. LEWENHAGEN 2,596,571

TUBE CLEANER Filed April 12, 1947 GOTTH man Mum LWENHAGEH VENTQ Q Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 12, 1947, Serial No. 741,096 In Sweden November 27, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires November 27, 1965 Claims.

This invention relates to pipe cleaning machines especially adapted to perform within a pipe to be cleaned a longitudinal movement by the action of a fluid filling the pipe behind the machine to work up the pipe thereby releasing sediment, rust and incrustations of i any kind. Hereby a special handle for the manual introduction and removal of the cleaning machine in and out of the pipe respectively will become unnecessary, thus facilitating the work of the operators and enabling pipes of arbitrary length to be treated, the machine thereby also being able to pass through elbows.

In pipe cleaning machines of this kind known heretofore the turbine is driven by fluid under pressure, filling the pipe behind the pipe clean ing machine. The turbine, in turn, rotates a cutter head in relation to a nonrotative casing. Experience has however shown that in pipe cleaners of said known kind the cutter head frequently will get jammed in the incrustations and sediment coating the wall of the pipe. Thereby the turbine is brought to a standstill with the result that the pipe cleaning machine jams far inside a pipe, where it is not accessible.

This inconvenience, however, will not occur in the pipe cleaning machine according to the present invention, wherein the turbine freely operates, inside the casing, without the risk of getting jammed in the pipe. If, for example, the easing of the machine according to the invention should accidentally get jammed in the pipe to be cleaned, the turbine will continue operating, rotating the eccentric weight, which serves to put the casing in vibration. Said vibrations are still transferred through the cutting means to the incrustations, gradually breaking down same to clear a path for the machine.

Due to the different diameters of the rings of cutting means I5 and I6 respectively, the casing is not only put in a vibrative movement, but also in a gyratory or helical movement, along the pipe to be cleaned.

An embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically shown in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side-view of the cleaning machine partially in section and Fig. 2 is a front view.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 2 denotes the casing of the pipe cleaning machine according to the invention in the rear end of which is connected a sleeve 3 and in the other (front) end a sleeve 5 provided with a tapered conical part 4. Inserted in the sleeve 3 is a ball-bearing 6 supported by a body I screwed 2 in the sleeve. In the vicinity of the sleeve 5 a bearing 8, preferably a ball-bearing, is fitted in the casing 2. In these two bearings 6 and 8 is supported a shaft 9, threaded at one end and provided with a nut I0. On the shaft 9 is fixed a bladed turbine II and on the shaft is also fixed an eccentrically located weight I2. It will, of course, be appreciated that the weight I2 could be connected to the turbine.

For driving the turbine a number of inlet channels I3 and outlet-channels I4 are arranged, said channels in the embodiment shown bein placed circularly or peripherally in each end of the easing, the inlet-channels I3 being formed in the sleeve 3 and for some part of its length facing the casing 2. On the rear end of the housing is provided a number of cleaning members I5, in the form of fins, and arranged on the front end of the casing are part-helical ribs I6, which are skewed with respect to the axis of the casing. The outside diameter D of the ring of cleaning members I5 is larger than the corresponding diameter DI of the ring of cleaning members I6, the first mentioned rin being conformed to the diameter of its respective pipe so as to closely lit the pipe wall. Also the conical body 4 is provided with cleaning members I I and with a flange I8 having a. plurality of concavities I9 registering with outlet-channels I4. Between the concavities are provided axially directed points 20, the bodies of which are suitably polygonal e. g. square. The body 1 is provided with a projecting portion 2|, e. g. for grasping the pipe cleaning machine, if it is necessary to remove same or to displace same. The point of the conical part 4 is provided with a groove 22 for receiving a tool, such as a tapered chisel.

When in use the entire pipe cleaning machine is pushed into the pipe which is to be cleaned. Then the pipe is shut up behind the cleaning machine, e. g. by means of a flange connected to a source of fluid under pressure, e. g. a water conduit or the like. This medium then will exert a pressure upon the rear surface of the cleaning machine trying to force it forwardly and. simultaneously flowing rapidly through the channels I3 putting the turbine in a rapid rotation, the fluid thereafter discharging through the outlet channels I4.

The eccentric weight I2 then puts the entire cleaning machine in agitation, vibration and trembling causing the cleaning members to strike or scratch against the tube wall tearing off the sediments thereon, said sediments thereafter being carried with the fluid flowing between and 3 around the cleaning members and carried away in the flow direction of said fluid. Also if the tube is almost choked up by sediments the cleaner may work itself forwardly by means of the edges I1 and points 2@, the conical part clearing a path through the sediments. Due to the obliquity of the cleaning members It and in part also due to reaction of the turbine the cleaning machine will perform a slow rotative motion while working itself forwardly in the pipe due to pressure of the medium against the action of the rear ring of cleaning members.

When necessary, 7 by means of a rotating pipe cleaning machine provided with a brush or the like.

When using steam-boilers the steam may also be utilized for turbine operation instead ,of water and so on. The eccentric weight and the motor may be arranged in another way relatively to each other, possibly outside the cleaning body. 2 Having now described my invention, whatl claim as, new and desire to secure by Letters'Patentis: V, v V,

1. In a pipeeleaning, machine, the combination of a casing having cutting means rigidly fixed to saidcasing, said cutting. means being adapted to perform Within apipe to be cleaned a longitudinal. movement, said casing having a rear wall which has substantially the area of the pipe, said wall being adapted to propel the casing longitudinally through the pipe under the impetus of fluid under pressure behindthe casing, at least one inlet duct providing a communication-between said fluid under pressure and the interior of said casing, at least one outlet duct frornthe interiorof said-casing opening at its-front end, a turbine arranged inside said casing and adapted to be rotated by fluid under pressure admitted through said inlet duct, and a weightconnected with said turbine in an eccentric position in rela-,

tion to its axis of rotation for the purpose of imparting, when rotated, a rotative and vibrative movement to, said casing in order to cause its cutting means to perform an abrasive and scraping action on incrustations and sediments present n'saidp p .t t

2. In apipe cleaning .machine, the combination; of a casing having integral peripheral rings provided with cutting means formedthereon, said cutting; means being adapted to, perform-Within apipe ,to be cleaned, a longitudinal movement, said casing having. a rear wall, which has substantially the area offthe pipe; said wall being adapt to p p l he asi g. longitudinally through the pipe under the impetusof fluid under pressure behind the casing, at least one .inletduct providing a. communication, between said fluid under pressure and the interior of said casing, at leastone outlet duct, from the interior of said casing opening at its front end, a turbine arranged; inside said casing andadapted to be ro tated by, fluidunder pressure admitted through said inlet duct, and a weight connected with said turbine in an eccentric position in relation to its axis of rotation for the purpose of imparting, when rotated, a rotative and vibrative movement the pipe may be after-treated tosaid casing in order to causeits cutting means 7 diameter thanthe rear one in order to serve as a roughing drill, said cutting means being adapted to perform, within a pipe to be cleaned, a longitudinal movement, said casing having a rear wall which has substantially the area of the pipe, said wall being adapted to propel the casing longitudinally through the pipe under the impetus of fluidunder pressure behind the casing, at least one; inlet duct providing ,a communication between said fluid under pressure and the in- ,terior of said casing, at least one outlet duct from the interior of said casing opening at its front end,--a turbine arranged inside said casing and adapted tov be rotated by fluid under pressure admitted through said inlet duct, and a weight connectedwith said turbine in an eccentric position in relation to its axis of rotation for the purpose of imparting, when rotated, a rotative and vibrative movement to said casing in order to cause its cutting means to perform an abrasive and scraping action on incrustations and sediment present in said pipe.

.4. In a pipe cleaningmachine, the combination of a casing having forward andrear integral peripheral rings provided with cuttingneans formedthereon, the forward ring being lessv in diameter than the rear one in order toserve as a roughing drill and having its cutting means skewed with respect to the axis of said casing, said, cutting meansbeing adapted to perform, within a pipe to be cleaned, a longitudinal movement, said casing having a rear wall, which has substantially the area of the pipe, saidwall being adapted-to propel the casing longitudinally through the pipe under the impetusof fluid under pressure behind the casing, at least one inlet duct providing a communication between said fluid underpressure and-the interior of said casing, at least one duct from the interior of said. casing opening at. itsfront I end, a turbine; arranged-inside said casing and adapted to be rotated by fluid under pressure admitted through saidinlet duct, and a weight connected with said turbine in an eccentric position; in relation to its axis ofrotation for the purpose of imparting whenrotated, a rotative andvibrative movement to said casing in order to cause its cutting means to performan skewedwith respect "to. the axis, of. saidcasing;

said cutting means being adapted-ta perform, withina pipe-to be cleaned, a longitudinal movement,.said casinghaving a.rear wallwhich has. substantially. thearea ofv the pipe, saidwallbeing. adapted to propel. the casing. longitudinallythrough the pipe under the impetus of fluid --under pressurebehindthe casing, at leastoneinlet duct providing .a, communication between said. fluid under pressure and the interior of said casing, atileast oneoutlet ductfrom the, interior .ofsaid casingopening at its front ,end,.a-,turbine,fixed to a central. longitudinally.v disposed ,shaft Qpivoted in bearings inside said casing andadapted to, be

rotated-by. fluid. uncler, pressure. admitted through said inlet duct, and aweight connected with said, turbine in, an. eccentric position in relation to, its axis. of. rotation for the purpose .of impartin when, rotated, a rotative' and vibrative moyement to said casing in order to cause its cutting means to perform an abrasive and scraping action on Number incrustations and sediment present in said pipe. 864,772 GO'ITHARD ALLAN LEWENHAGEN. 982,652 1,278,453 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,628,070 The following references are of record in the 1,717,986 file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS 2:418:880

6 Name Date Dean 1 Sept. 3, 1907 Wiechmann Jan. 24, 1911 Frank Sept. 10, 1918 Sladden May 10, 1927 Liebau June 18, 1929 Schmidt Feb. 4, 1930 Mattern et a1. Nov. 7, 1939 Haynes et a1. Apr. 15, 1947 

